MY AMERICA 2: Destinations, the newest album by JIM
SELF, is an homage to the many places across America where the
well-travelled jazz tuba maestro has lived and worked. A prolific
musician, Self has produced 20 albums as a leader. All About
Jazz said about Self’s latest album with guitarist John
Chiodini, Hangin’ Out, released earlier in 2022, “Lush,
lovely melodies, rich and evocative on his weapon of choice, and
beautifully voiced with guitar, trumpet, trombone into a textured
blend that is aesthetically pleasing.” Self has also worked for all
the major Hollywood studios since 1974, performing for over 1500
motion pictures and hundreds of television shows and records. A
favorite of John Williams, Self’s solos have been featured on
Williams’
scores to Jurassic Park, Home Alone, Home Alone 2:
Lost in New York, and Hook. He was also the “Voice of
the Mothership” from Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third
Kind.
MY
AMERICA 2: Destinations is a sequel to My America, which Self
released 20 years ago. Like the first album, MY AMERICA 2:
Destinations is a collaboration between Self and arranger KIM
SCHARNBERG, and features some of the top jazz and studio
musicians in Southern California, including RON STOUT
(trumpet, flugelhorn), BILL BOOTH (trombone, euphoniums), SCOTT
WHITFIELD (trombone), PHIL FEATHER (alto saxophone,
English horn), TOM PETERSON (soprano & tenor
saxophones), JOHN CHIODINI (guitars), STEVE FISTER
(guitars), BILL CUNLIFFE (piano, melodica), KEN WILD
(string, electric, and fretless electric bass), KENDALL KAY
(drums), and BRIAN KILGORE (percussion). Many of the players
are also members of The David Angel Jazz Ensemble and performed on Out
on the Coast, which Self released in 2021.
Self
often works with one arranger for an entire album. He chooses some
of the most talented arrangers on the music scene and gives them
the freedom to express their own creativity. Like Self, Scharnberg
has an extensive resume, which includes writing several pieces
performed by high level orchestras such as the Boston Pops. He has
also orchestrated many Broadway musicals, television shows and
movies. Self says, “There was a day when writers like Pat Williams,
Quincy Jones, Marty Paich, and Johnny Mandel were hired by artists for
entire recordings. Kim Scharnberg is that kind of talent and it
shows in every note he writes.”
Self
unabashedly loves this country and decided it was time to do a
follow-up to the original My America. For that album, he
used songs that were associated with Americana, like “I’ve Been
Workin’ on the Railroad” and “When Johnny Comes Marchin’ Home
Again.” For volume 2, he chose songs with city, state, and area
titles that were hit tunes in their day. He once again gave free
rein to Scharnberg to work his magic and create unusual and hip
versions that give ample space for the soloists to ply their jazz
improvisations. The songs feature the musicians in different
configurations, creating interesting and changing dynamics when you
listen to the album from start to finish.
Self
opens the album with “Chicago,” a city whose jazz scene was an
early influence on him. The song was written as an homage to the
partying and excess of the roaring 20s, and Scharnberg gives the
tune a fun, Dixieland arrangement that is a perfect fit. Self opens
Jimmy Webb’s “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” with his warm, mellow
tuba playing the melody, which is followed by the rich,
interweaving textures performed by Stout and Cunliffe. “Kansas
City” is a medley of two songs with same name, one by Mike Stoller
and the other by Richard Rodgers. The arrangement moves between
swing and shuffle grooves, featuring solos by Booth on trombone,
Chiodini on guitar, Self on tuba, Feather on alto sax, and rock and
roller Steve Fister on guitar. “New York State of Mind” is a modern
pop classic with Cunliffe playing the melodica and Self playing the
fluba, an instrument that he created, which is a combination of a
flugelhorn and tuba. “King of Route 66 Roger Miller” is a medley of
two great pop tunes. Self, Chiodini, Cunliffe, and Wild really come
out swinging, especially on the duet with bass and tuba. “Blue
Bayou Bossa” is a lovely mashup. It features solos by Peterson and
Stout.
Self
has played on several Randy Newman albums and on many of his film
scores. Los Angeles has been Self’s home for 48 years and he loved
the idea of including Newman’s iconic song “I Love L.A.” Self plays
his cimbassos in F and BBb, and Booth adds euphonium parts, while
Kilgore adds another texture on the marimba. “Back Home Again in
Indiana” is the theme song of Indiana University of Pennsylvania,
where Self attended. For this version, Scharnberg created an
orchestrated version of Dave Brubeck’s recorded arrangement.
If
you are doing a song with American themes, you should include at
least one boogie-woogie number, which Self and Scharnberg do on
“Chattanooga Choo Choo.” Of course, one of the most iconic songs in
the American songbook is “I Left My Heart in San Francisco.” It
features a beautiful rendition by Booth on trumpet and an unusual
accompaniment of English horn, tuba, and piano.
Early
in his career, Self was member of the U.S. Army Band in Washington,
DC, and wanted to include a song about the city. Scharnberg
deconstructs John Philip Sousa’s composition, “Washington,” and
turns it into a very hip, postmodern version called “Washington
Postmodern.” Self and Cunliffe perform a soulful, sensitive version
of “Georgia on My Mind” on just tuba and piano.
Self
always includes at least one song he has composed on his albums,
and here he includes his composition “S.L.O. Blues,” a piece he
wrote about the town of San Luis Obispo, where he has had a
vacation home for 13 years. Self ends all his Basset Hound albums
with the world-famous howls of Stanley, his dearly departed basset
hound.
The
tuba is not often used for melodic accompaniment, but Self shows
the tuba’s true potential by playing with great sensitivity and
fluency. With the inventive arrangements by Scharnberg and the
roster of top-notch players, MY AMERICA 2: Destinations is
not just a journey in jazz across America, it is also a unique and
eminently satisfying musical adventure.
# # #
MY AMERICA 2: Destinations is set for release on
October 28, 2022 and will be available everywhere.
Online:
Bassethoundmusic.com
Facebook.com/JimSelfMusic
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